The amount of data transferred between electronic devices has grown tremendously the last several years. Large amounts of audio, streaming video, text, and other types of information content are now regularly transferred among desktop and portable computers, media devices, handheld media devices, displays, storage devices, and other types of electronic devices.
Data may be conveyed over cables that may include wire conductors, fiber optic cables, or some combination of these or other conductors. Cable assemblies may include a connector insert at each end of a cable, though other cable assemblies may be connected or tethered to an electronic device in a dedicated manner. The connector inserts may be inserted into receptacles in the communicating electronic devices.
These connector inserts may include contacts or pins that form signal paths with contacts or pins in the corresponding connector receptacles. These signal paths may radiate signal noise to nearby signal paths and electrical circuits. These signal paths may also receive signal noise from nearby signal paths and electrical circuits. Accordingly, it may be desirable to shield these signal paths such that they do not radiate or receive this signal noise.
Also, while these connectors may be fully compliant with one or more various signaling interfaces, other connectors may be only partially compliant with these signaling interfaces. For example, in a connector intended to be used for charging, one or more signal pins may not be needed and may be omitted. However, some signal paths may remain. Further, it may be desirable to shield the power pins on such a connector.
Moreover, various connectors may sell in the millions of units. With these volumes, even a minor cost reduction can lower expenses significantly.
Thus, what is needed are connector inserts that may provide shielding in a low-cost manner in standard connectors and connectors having reduced pin counts.